Passing On
by FuzzyLion
Summary: Random oneshot. Post AC. Squall is a part of the FFVII world. He joined Avalanche and developed a strong bond with the blond swordsman, joining him on his adventures. But what would happen if he was present at that final fight against the brothers?


Leon here! Just dropping another completely random oneshot into the mix. Rated M for some gore, character death, just to be safe. Not much to say really, drop me a line to say you liked it. If you did. This is a bit strange, I have to admit. Born of tired mind and restless fingers.

Disclaimer: I don't own, although I wish I did.

**Everything passes on. Time does. People do too.**

"Don't look at him…"

"But…"

"You don't need to see him like this."

"I have to!"

"No! Stay back!"

"Please!"

He tried to push through, throwing his weight in a desperate attempt to pass him but the burly black man held him in place.

They'd all seen it happen, the explosion atop the building mere minutes after the blond's defeat of the brothers. Despite their warnings and assurances, their new young friend had been unwilling to let his companion stand alone and had jumped from the airship as it passed above the battleground to lend his aid. He was no pushover by any stretch of the imagination, he knew what he was getting himself in to and had swayed the battle in the lone swordsman's favour. When the battle was won though and the pair embraced to celebrate their victory, a huge explosion drove them forcefully apart and completely obliterated the top of the building, the shockwave easily felt by the occupants of the airship still circling.

Blond flew one way from the destroyed roof, brunet, the other.

With the benefits of the foreign substance in his blood, the heavy-blader survived the fall, barely, and his friends located him in time to save him before he succumbed to his injuries but the younger male was no t so lucky. Without the added advantages of mako, the gunblader had not even survived the fall, let alone endured the descent and held on until their arrival.

Barret found him, though when the others approached, he would not let them see.

Beyond the bulky male's frame lay the broken form of Squall.

Despite being severely weakened as a direct result of being blown from the roof of the gutted building, Cloud's anguish, fear and anger gave him surprising strength and the one barring his way was swiftly pushed aside. A few hurried steps put him before the motionless body and a hand shakily moved to his mouth, silent tears slipping from his eyes at the sight.

Tifa called to him but he heard nothing of what she said as he fell to his knees alongside the teen's battered figure.

Their friend was laying on his back, head turned to the side with grey/blue eyes lightly closed. Bone protruded from an arm broken in several places, the other red raw where flesh had been torn from muscle in long slices, evidently from where he'd grazed debris as he fell. A leg was broken but its opposite was still intact, albeit covered in purple/black bruising. Ribs were broken, a huge gash torn into his side with ragged edges suggestion a collision with something blunt. Another gash across his collarbone and another across his forehead, disappearing into chocolate locks once soft and shiny, now tangled, matted and darkened with blood. It was everywhere, dribbling sluggishly from innumerable wounds, staining the torn remains of his clothes, marking his pale skin and pooling around him.

A trembling hand reached forward and lifted the roaring pendant from its place upon the ripped white shirt. Even the silver accessory was bloodied and the crimson smeared as a thumb stroked over its surface.

Crying. He could hear crying. It was the girls. He'd forgotten they were there. But they couldn't see. They were too far away, still blocked by their leader. Cid was there too, silent though, no curses slipping from his lips, no words at all. He was watching the gun-armed one try to comfort the girls who had tears streaming from their eyes.

He couldn't look away for long and his watery gaze returned to rest on the prone form before him, ignoring Yuffie's pleas for their companion to still be alive. Their agony was nothing to that which he felt right then, their feelings paled in comparison to the ones the blond harboured for the fallen one.

There was nothing they could do. He was already gone.

But…

Why had his body not returned to the Lifestream?

'He's trapped.'

_Zack?_

'He's caught between this world and the next.'

_I don't understand._

'His soul has moved on, yet his heart has not.'

_How is that possible?_

'He's upsetting the balance.'

_What can I do?_

'Make a choice, help him move on, or help him get back.'

_I can't let him go._

'Then reach for him, and when you find him, don't let go.'

With that, the presence he felt was gone but in it's place, there was another, much fainter one.

Taking a cold, blood-slick hand in one of his own, he closed his glowing blue eyes and reached with everything. Mind, heart, body and soul reached as one for that distant presence and he touched it, reflexively latching on and stubbornly refusing to let go.

That was when everything went cold.

When he forced his eyes open, he had to blink against the bright light spilling across his face and a heavy arm raised to shield the sensitive orbs and allow him to adjust. He was at home, he knew, even though he hadn't managed to glimpse his surroundings, the comfort and familiarity could be felt. He was back in their bed in their shared apartment and he could feel other presences in the room. As awareness returned to him, he could hear voices talking in hushed whispers and a weary groan escaped him, silence fell upon the room.

"Cloud?"

"…What… What happened?"

There was movement, several people approaching the side of the bed.

"We thought we lost you too!"

"You jus' keeled over sideways an' stopped breathin'!"

"Squall…! Is he…? Did it work?"

Panic gripped him, fear constricted his heart and he sat up sharply, vision spinning and blurring before becoming clearer, sharper.

"We dunno what y'did but…"

A gesture at the other side of the bed.

Wild blue eyes immediately snapped in the pointed direction and there he was, tucked beneath the sheets looking rather worse for wear but he was alive, breathing, the sheets rising and falling with each even, if shallow breath.

"We gave him something for the pain and healed the worst of the injuries but there was only so much we could do. The rest will have to heal on its own. He hasn't woken up yet either."

"But he's alive. Hyne above… It worked."

----

It was several days before the youth awoke but Cloud never left his side for more than a few moments at a time and when Squall opened his eyes for the first time since the explosion, his blond companion was there beside him, his presence soothing even without the whispered words of assurance that filled his ears.

When those whispered assurances became words of fear, loss, heartache and despair, Squall silenced him with a weak kiss before slumping back into the pillows and nothing more was said. Nothing needed to be voiced because they knew, they could feel it, all of it and after cheating death, neither wished to waste time with words any longer. Their time together had been extended but it was ticking away once more and it wouldn't stand still even for a pair of young lovers who deserved all the time in the world.


End file.
